Hopeful Beginnings
by blackinkpen
Summary: Hermione's first time back at the burrow after the war. Fluffy oneshot RHr, HG. R&R please!


Hopeful Beginnings

Hermione Granger strolled into the Weasley kitchen and breathed in the familiar smell of baked goods. She had missed this place. It had been two long years since she had last seen the Burrow; so much had changed since then. The last time she had been here she had wondered if she would ever come back. Now, the war was over; Voldemort had been vanquished, and although the Order had suffered some painful losses, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had all managed to come through it in one piece.

After taking a moment to collect her thoughts, Hermione strolled up the staircase to Ginny Weasley's bedroom, where she would be staying until she could find a place of her own.

"Hermione!" Ginny greeted her warmly when she opened the door. The two girls embraced and Ginny asked, "How was your parent's house?"

"It was really good," Hermione replied, "but I couldn't wait to come here."

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Upstairs Ron was lying impatiently on his bed, trying ineffectively to distract himself with _Quidditch Through the Ages, _while Harry busied himself finishing off a letter to Remus Lupin; congratulating him on his recent engagement to Tonks.

"When do you think she'll get here?" Ron asked.

"I don't know, Ron." Said Harry; becoming annoyed by his frequent queries about Hermione's arrival. "She said she'd be here today, but she wasn't sure when." Ron sank back down onto his bed, pretending to be interested in the book he was reading; when he thought he heard a door open and close downstairs.

"Did you hear that?" He asked. Harry didn't even look up as he said, "No, quit imagining—" His voice trailed off as he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. This time he looked up at Ron who had put down his book and was now looking dreamily towards the door.

Harry tried not to laugh at his friend. Although Ron had always denied it, he knew that he had feelings for Hermione other than the brotherly ones he, Harry, felt for her.

"Well should we go say hello?"

"Yeah." Said Ron; heading toward the door. Hardly a minute ago he had seemed so excited to see her, but now as his hand lingered on the doorknob, it seemed to Harry that Ron was a bit nervous. He gave his friend a gentle nudge to urge him out of the room and down the stairs.

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Hermione began unpacking as she and Ginny discussed everything that had happened since they had last seen each other.

"So are you and Harry getting back together, then?" Hermione asked. Ginny blushed and said, "I don't know. He hasn't said anything about it. I think he wants to but…"

"What?" Hermione asked encouragingly.

"I think he assumes I don't want to. He thinks I've moved on or something."

"But you haven't." Hermione said knowingly. Ginny shook her head no. "Well your just going to have to tell him, then." Ginny looked curiously at her friend. She knew she was right, but this was a side of her she hadn't often seen. "Look Gin, I know how much you love him, and I know he feels the same way. You two are too perfect for each other to not do something about it. And if he's too stupid to make the first move you have to be the one to do it." Ginny smirked.

"I think someone needs to take their own advice." She said.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked, taken slightly aback.

"Ron!" Ginny exclaimed. She watched the expression on her friends face change dramatically before saying. "C'mon don't even try to deny it! I've seen the way you look at him, it's pathetic!" Hermione's mouth was agape. She seemed to be searching for something to say. "Don't worry, 'Mione, he loves you too."

"How do you know?" Hermione had given into the fact that, as much as she tried to hide it, her feelings for Ron were painfully obvious.

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Harry and Ron bounded quickly but soundlessly down the stairs, stopping in front of Ginny's room. They could hear the two girls talking inside and were just about to knock when they heard Harry's name mentioned. Both of them instinctively pressed their ears against the door to try and here what the girls were saying.

"_Look Gin, I know how much you love him, and I know he feels the same way. You two are too perfect for each other to not do something about it. And if he's too stupid to make the first move you have to be the one to do it."_

Ron glanced sideways at Harry, who had a look of utter shock on his face after hearing Hermione's words.

"Do you—?"

"Shhh!" Harry shushed Ron and pointed back towards the door where they could now hear Ginny talking.

"_Ron! C'mon don't even try to deny it! I've seen the way you look at him, it's pathetic!"_

Harry and Ron simultaneously glanced at each other and soundlessly dashed back up to Ron's room, clearly thinking they had heard too much. Once there Harry turned to Ron and said, "See? She fancies you too." He had to laugh at the look of confusion on Ron's face. He obviously had not been expecting this.

"Yeah, well, what about you?" was Ron's response, "Thought my sister had moved on, did you?"

"I just—" Harry was saved an explanation by Mrs. Weasley's call of "Dinner!"

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It was a rather uncomfortable meal. Hermione and Ginny, not realizing what the boys had heard, acted completely normal. Ron and Harry, however, barely looked at either of them throughout dinner, and gave short, single-worded replies to any questions asked by them. Hermione began to become offended by their lack of enthusiasm to see her, and she and Ginny left the table early to enjoy their meals on the deck.

"How could they be so rude?" Hermione cried, anguished. "I thought you said he fancied me!"

"He does!" Ginny assured her. "I don't know what his problem is."

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Inside, Ron and Harry were just realizing that they had, without meaning to, offended the girls.

"Maybe we should go talk to them." Ron whispered to Harry. Both of them stood up and, ignoring the protests from Mrs. Weasley, followed Hermione and Ginny outside. They found the two of them sitting on the porch, deep in conversation. Cautiously they approached, not wanting to offend them more.

"Err—we're sorry about—what happened—in there." Harry stammered.

"You should be." Ginny said, crossing her arms across her chest and looking away.

"What made you guys act like that anyway?" Hermione asked. Harry and Ron looked at each other, neither wanting to be the one to admit what had happened.

"Well—we err— heard you guys talking about us earlier…" Ron said. The look on Hermione and Ginny's faces quickly turned from anger to shock and embarrassment.

"How much did you hear?" asked Hermione, sheepishly in a voice much higher than usual.

"Enough." Harry replied. Then he asked, "Ginny, do you want to… go for a walk?" Ginny consented by standing up and leading him down the walkway, leaving Ron and Hermione alone on the deck. Hermione was so embarrassed; she couldn't even look at him.

"Hermione?" Ron asked cautiously.

"How could you listen in on us like that?!" Hermione responded angrily. "That was a private conversation!"

"I know… I'm really sorry…" Ron didn't know what to say. He wanted to tell her that he felt the same way, but he wasn't sure how to begin.

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"So that's all you heard?" Ginny asked Harry.

"Yeah…" He responded. There was a long, awkward silence before he said, "So… You never… Moved on?"

"How could I?" Ginny asked in response. "I love you, Harry. I always have."

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"I love you, Hermione." Ron said, bluntly. He had decided the best way to express his feelings was by just saying them. Hermione was speechless for once in her life; she sat there motionless next to Ron, staring at him like he was something disgusting she had found on the bottom of her shoe. Ron was just regretting saying it, when suddenly, she smiled at him.

"You don't know how long I've waited to hear you say that Ron." she said.

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Harry smiled; he hadn't felt this happy since the first time he had kissed her.

"I love you too, Ginny, always."


End file.
